Vafa Ahmadpour, Imprisoned Protest Rapper, Defends Himself Against Political Charges

The court session addressing the charges against Vafa Ahmadpour, a protest rapper, was held on Wednesday, July 18th, at the Revolutionary Court. According to the HRANA news agency, Vafa Ahmadpour, known as 'Vafadar', defended himself in court against the charge of 'collusion and conspiracy to commit a crime against internal security by collaborating with the regime's opponents'. Danial Moghaddam and Vafa Ahmadpour, protest rap artists, were arrested by government forces in Shiraz after performing a song titled 'Ready' on May 10th and were transferred to the Shiraz Intelligence Department detention center known as Plaque 100. He was later moved to the central detention facility of this city located in Adelabad Prison. Vafa Ahmadpour had previously been arrested at his home by security forces on February 4, 2023, for supporting public protests and producing protest art, and was released from Evin Prison on February 19 of the same year after posting bail. However, he was subsequently sentenced to one year in prison for propaganda against the regime. Pressure on protesting artists by the Islamic Republic in Iran has increased following widespread support from numerous cultural and sports figures for public protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. A ruling of 160 years in prison and lashes has been issued for 34 activists from religious and ethnic minorities in the past six months. Vafa Ahmadpour and Danial Moghaddam were transferred from the Shiraz Intelligence detention center to Adelabad Prison. 'Cutting off phone calls of Toumaj Salehi' in Dastgerd Prison and warnings about 'new case-building'.